UK Government seeks 250,000 NHS volunteers

Health Secretary Matt Hancock made the announcement during the Government’s daily coronavirus press briefing on Tuesday (24 March).

Volunteers would be required for simple but “vital” tasks including delivering medicines from pharmacies, driving patients to appointments, bringing them home from hospital, or making regular phone calls to check on people isolating at home.

GPs, doctors, pharmacists, nurses, midwives, NHS 111 advisers and social care staff will all be able to request help for their at-risk patients via a call centre run by the Royal Voluntary Service (RVS), who will match people who need help with volunteers who live near to them. Some charities will also be able to refer people to the service.

Dr Nikki Kanani, GP and NHS Director of Primary Care, said: “Coronavirus is the biggest challenge we have ever faced, which is why we’re rallying the troops and telling the public: your NHS needs you.

“This is one of those once-in-a-lifetime moments where a single action from one person can be the difference between life and death for another, and simple acts of kindness are going to make all the difference in keeping some of the most vulnerable people well and out of hospital.

Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock added: “In these extraordinary times, it’s essential that we all pull together as part of the national effort to protect the most vulnerable, reduce pressures on our NHS and care system and save lives.“If you are well and able to do so safely, I would urge you to sign up today to help the most vulnerable people in our communities as an NHS Volunteer Responder.”

Members of the public can sign up at goodsamapp.org/NHS to become NHS Volunteer Responders

Mr Hancock also announced that a new hospital to treat coronavirus patients will open in London next week.

The NHS Nightingale Hospital will open at the Excel centre in London and treat 4,000 people across two wards.